I know a girl who likes to rescue things. She can see the loveliness in a walloped-out armchair, an orphaned teacup, a badly-folded rumple of musty curtain. Her glowing kitchen has borne witness to the rescue of exotic marble lamp-stands, miscounted tangles of crochet, burning Christmas cakes.
Her hands are soft and always poised for kindness. They pour tea and pat shoulders. They pick up and stroke one-eyed hens that reek and fight. They offer warm biscuits, wordless shrugs of blanket.
Her eyes, soft smiling buttons, are this week raw and aching. Her little dog, rescued from hell and given twelve unexpected years, has died.
For over a decade, she clicked faithfully behind during night feeds, first steps, full years of growing a family, stoically submitting to being dressed like a character from Beatrix Potter, chased and threatened during uncontrollable barking fits with words as empty and light as swansdown, ridden, kissed to death, ignored in favour of other, more broken creatures. Her loyalty was legendary.
She was a tiny dog who leaves a hole that all the tea and blankets cannot fill. Sometimes, love so blurs our lives, that it becomes impossible to see who is rescuing and who is being rescued.
It is so very hard to lose our treasured, furry companions who sit beside us through thick and thin with nary a look or word of disapproval for any of our actions. Such tiny things take up such a great amount of room in our hearts and souls and when they are gone, they do leave huge holes in the fabric of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even bear to think about when this happens to me. My dog is five; she is lolling beside me, head on my lap, planning naughtiness and greedy adventures. I am so lucky.
Delete"Sometimes, love so blurs our lives, that it becomes impossible to see who is rescuing and who is being rescued." True for animals, and people. xox.
ReplyDeleteYes. Though in my experience, the one brings a feeling of reciprocal love and comfort; the other is sadly often a hiding to nowhere.
DeleteOh, what lovely words to describe the bond of human to animal. Alas, I've been there too many times, and even though it never gets any easier, it was always worth every bit of love. Thank you for sharing this touching story.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure and I am delighted, but not surprised, to note that she has already found another broken dog to pour love into.
DeleteIf it was your intent to make a big guy tear up, it worked. We love them so and they are here so briefly.
ReplyDeleteJames, you big sap! I know, I think because their love is so pure it burns much more quickly.
DeleteI have not experienced a loss of such a creature for many years, the result of a peripatetic lifestyle, and the prohibition of them in our condo; my condolences.
ReplyDeleteBefore I forced my roots, I felt very pleased at the condo rule; moving around is hard enough without having to take that kind of responsibility on...
Delete"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle....." (Irving Townsend). Those words have comforted me eleven times now.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you, Elizabeth. Special blessings to those who rescue the ones who rescue us.
That is a beautiful quote and I have sent it to my friend. Thank you!
DeleteI send you my sympathy. They are rare and gorgeous beings.
ReplyDeletePlease do note, that this wasn't about me; you'd have heard my heart cracking on 52nd street...
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